Everything about Gorsedd totally explained
A
gorsedd plural
gorseddau, is a community of
bards. The word means "throne" in
Welsh. It is occasionally spelled
gorseth (especially in
Cornwall (External Link
)), or
Goursez in Brittany
When the term is used without qualification, it usually means the national gorsedd of
Wales, Gorsedd Beirdd Ynys Prydain (Welsh: "the Gorsedd of Bards of the Island of Britain"). However, other gorseddau exist, such as the
Cornish Gorseth Kernow and the
Breton Goursez Breizh.
Purpose
Gorseddau exist to promote literary scholarship and the creation of
poetry and
music. As part of this, their most visible activity is often the organising of
Eisteddfodau.
History
Gorsedd Beirdd Ynys Prydain was founded in
1792 by
Edward Williams, often known as
Iolo Morganwg, who also invented much of its ritual, supposedly based on the activities of the ancient
Druids (although much of its modern ritual also has
Christian influence; the rituals were given further embellishment in the 1930s by archdruid Cynan).
The Gorsedd of Bards (Gorsedd y Beirdd) made its first appearance at the Eisteddfod at the Ivy Bush Inn
in Carmarthen in 1819, and its close association with the Festival has remained. It is an association
of poets, writers, musicians, artists and individuals who have made a significant and distinguished
contribution to Welsh language, literature, and culture.
Ranks
There are three ranks of membership in the Welsh gorsedd. In ascending order of honour, they are:
- ovates, who wear green robes,
- bards, who wear blue robes, and
- druids, who wear white robes.
The head of a gorsedd is known as an Archdruid, and often wears a purple robe; the Archdruid is elected for a term of three years, and is responsible for conducting the Gorsedd ceremonies during Eisteddfod week. These Ceremonies are held to
honour literary achievements amongst Welsh poets and prose writers.
The ranks within the Breton gorsedd are the same.
In the Cornish gorsedd there's only one rank, that of bard, and all robes are blue .
Admission
In the Welsh gorsedd, a person may become an ovate or a bard by passing an examination in the Welsh language. Druids may only be nominated by existing druids. People are occasionally made ovates or druids as an honour to reward their contributions to Welsh culture. In recent years, Ron Davies, Rowan Williams, and Ioan Gruffudd have been honoured in this way. Often a new inductee will take a pseudonym, called a "bardic name."
To become an Archdruid, an individual must have won one of the main two eisteddfodau awards: the Crown and the Chair.
Ceremony
Three Gorsedd ceremonies are held during the Eisteddfod week:
the Crowning (Coroni) of the Bard (awarded to the poet judged best in the competitions in free meter)
the Awarding of the Prose Medal (for the winner of the Prose competitions)
the Chairing (Cadeirio) of the Bard (for the best long poem).
During these ceremonies the Archdruid and the members of the Gorsedd of Bards gather on the Eisteddfod
stage in their ceremonial robes. When the Archdruid reveals the identity of the winning poet, the 'Corn
Gwlad' (a trumpet) calls the people together and the Gorsedd Prayer is chanted. The Archdruid withdraws
a sword from its sheath three times. He cries 'Is there peace?', to which the assembly reply 'Peace'.
Then the Horn of Plenty is presented to the Archdruid by a young local married woman, who urges him to
drink the 'wine of welcome'. A young girl presents him with a basket of 'flowers from the land and soil
of Wales' and a floral dance is performed, based on a pattern of flower gathering from the fields.
Symbology
The symbol commonly used to represent a gorsedd is a triple line, the middle line upright and the outer two slanted towards the top of the centre, thus: /|. This symbol, called "awen", is often explained as representing the sun.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Gorsedd'.
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